SIR Alex Ferguson today launched a fierce attack on football clubs for excluding Asian youngsters from the sport.

SIR Alex Ferguson today launched a fierce attack on football clubs for excluding Asian youngsters from the sport.

The Manchester United boss said it was a scandal that only one Asian professional was currently playing at league level.

Sir Alex spoke out as United players, including David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Andy Cole, took a stand against racism before today's home match against Coventry City.

Sir Alex added: "There is one Asian footballer in England. That's a scandal. Why? Because they feel excluded.

"Ask clubs such as Walsall or Bury where the best teenage footballers are in their areas. They'll say the Asian kids who play in the streets and develop close control. Get them in, make them feel welcome."

Sir Alex's plea came as United, which does not have any Asian players in its line up, today displayed anti-racism posters and banners at Old Trafford as as part of a nationwide "Kick Racism Out of Football" campaign.

England captain David Beckham said racism was still in the game and had to be snuffed out. Andy Cole also urged fans to challenge racists in the crowd.

Ryan Giggs also urged children from ethnic minorities to seek help if they were the victims of abuse.

Terry Robinson, chairman of Bury FC, who have England's only professional Asian player - Indian star Baichung Bhutia - agreed with Sir Alex that football authorities needed to do more to encourage youngsters from ethnic minorities. But he said clubs were not "excluding" potential players and the issue was more complex.

Bury officials have visited schools to encourage Asian youngsters and organised a match against the Pakistan national side to create interest.

"I don't think it's a case of clubs excluding people," he said, "it's more a case of needing to educate older generations within the Asian community.

"Many have not seen football as a traditional job for their children and not pushed them towards it."

• Sir Alex says fans have only themselves to blame after Trafford council threatened to close down parts of Old Trafford if United make the Champions League semi-finals. Some seats could be taken out of use because fans ignored pleas to stay sitting down during the defeat by Bayern Munich.